The present invention relates to a binder strip sewing machine in which a binder strip and at least one flap strip are integrally held on a garment on a sewing machine table, and these strips are sewn to the garment. More particularly, the invention relates to a workpiece fabric feeding device for use in the binder strip sewing machine for selectively feeding the binder strip and the flap strip onto the garment.
Throughout inhouse R & D activities, the present inventors have proposed a workpiece fabric feeding device for use in a binder strip sewing machine. According to the inhouse proposal, a garment, a binder strip and right and left flap strips are integrally installed on the sewing machine. (This inhouse proposal is disclosed in a Japanese Utility Model Application No. 1-86649). More specifically, in the fabric feeding device, base presses are provided for pressurizingly holding the garment onto a sewing machine table. Further, a binder strip transferring member is provided for supplying the binder strip onto the garment, and a pair of folding plates are provided for folding the binder strip and maintaining the thus folded binder strip on the garment in cooperation with the binder strip transferring member. Futhermore, there are provided fabric piece transferring members for supplying right and left flap strips over the folded sections of the binder strip, and fabric holding members for holding the thus supplied flap strips on the binder strip.
A switch on a control panel is manipulated by an operator prior to an actual sewing operation so as to set a supply of the left and/or right flap strips onto the garment. Therefore, one feeding fashion is determined by the combination of the supply or non-supply of the flap strips. When the fabric feeding device is actuated, strip(s) in accordance with the one feeding fashion given by the one combination of the strips is supplied to the garment. Thereafter, the thus fed strip together with the garment are fed to an actual sewing region.
However, according to the thus proposed fabric feeding device, various kinds of strip feedings cannot be easily performed. If another kind of fabric feeding fashion is contemplated after the actual sewing with respect to the one feeding fashion is completed, the operator must again manipulate the switch of the control panel in order to alter the fabric feeding fashion. For example, in a first feeding fashion, the left flap strip is to be supplied for sewing, on the other hand, in a second feeding fashion, both left and right strips are to be fed for sewing. In such a case, the operator must again manipulate the control panel upon completion of the sewing with the first feeding fashion.